A Place To Belong: The Forest Was Silent
by lord of the land of fire
Summary: A short alternate to one of the chapters of my story 'A Place To Belong.'


**Author's Note: **As the title suggests this is a short alternate chapter from my story 'A Place To Belong' where Kouta and Lucy of **Elfen Lied** attend Youkai Academy of **Rosariao Vampire**. I also inform you that this story is marked 'tragic' for a reason.

XXX

Hand in hand they walked out into the woods that surrounded the campus grounds. School was still out for summer break so the place was deserted. They walked a good ways out before Kouta was satisfied and stopped.

"This should do," he said.

Lucy looked at him and felt her heart racing. This was it. She was going to confess to him. She wondered if the reason he had brought her out here was also to confess his love for her. He had almost lost her so perhaps that had brought things into focus for him just as it had for her.

"So what did you want to tell me Kouta?"

He looked at her anxiously. "Lucy, would you close your eyes?"

"Close my eyes?"

He nodded. "Please close them and don't open them until I tell you too.

"All right." She did as he asked.

"Don't open them until I tell you to." One hand reached into a pocket of his school jacket.

"I won't," she promised.

"Good, I know you wouldn't lie to me since you hate liars. I hate them too."

He took out the .38 and held it less than six inches from her head.

Without a sound he cocked the revolver.

The forest was silent.

That was not unusual for this place. The woods that surrounded Youkai Academy had always possessed an unnatural quiet to them. But today they seemed unwilling to make any noise whatsoever, as though afraid of disturbing the scene that was playing out before them.

No birds called, no insects chirped, there was not even the rustle of wind stirring the leaves. There was nothing but the perfect silence of the grave.

Kouta stood there holding his gun; the only thing he could hear was his own breathing.

Lucy's eyes were shut and her face was perfectly tranquil. Her hands were folded in front of her and she waited patiently. There was not the slightest hint of worry to be seen on her.

She trusted him completely.

The gun felt heavy in his hand and it began to shake ever so slightly.

He knew if he was really going to do this it had to be right now. With her vectors she could easily disarm or kill him.

Why was he hesitating?

He knew now. His memories had all come back. She was the one who'd killed his sister and his father. Their blood was on her hands.

_But I love her!_

Even as he thought it he cursed himself. What sort of man fell in love with his family's murderer? Even if she had protected him, even if she truly loved him how could he forgive? How could he let the murders go unpunished?

Still he hesitated, his heart pulling him in two ways at once.

Then he had a memory. His little sister crying. "Brother don't say that you hate me!" Those were her last words before she was torn apart right in front of his eyes.

With an angry jerk he pulled the trigger.

The gunshot sounded unbelievably loud.

Lucy's head snapped back as blood and brains leapt from the hole in her forehead and splashed onto Kouta's hand and arm. Her body twisted and her arms flailed as she fell to the ground. She never made a sound or even opened her eyes.

Kouta stared at her as blood tricked out. She looked oddly at peace. Somehow he had this strange sense that she'd known what was going to happen and had accepted it. As if her death could finally pay back everything she'd taken from him and make things right again.

He'd expected to feel some sort of righteous satisfaction at this moment. Ever since the first memory had come back to him and he'd realized his family had been killed he'd been determined to avenge them. Even when he realized it was Lucy he'd still held to his determination. That was only just wasn't it?

But he felt no spark of happiness in this. Seeing what he'd done all he felt was loneliness. It didn't bring his family back and now the girl he'd fallen in love with was gone as well. There was nothing left for him. He was all alone.

A moment later a second gunshot rang out.

Then the forest was once more silent.


End file.
